Destiny 2’s game director, Joe Blackburn, has taken to Twitter to address the recent communication regarding the game and admit that it fell short of players’ expectations. In a 16-minute video, Blackburn acknowledged the flaws in the State of the Game blog article posted on the official Destiny site.
According to Blackburn, the communication failed to provide the high-level vision that players have come to expect. He mentioned that the development team was occupied with The Final Shape, an expansion DLC, and was unable to give the communication the attention it deserved. He took full responsibility for the shortcomings and apologized to the player community.
In addition to the communication issues, Blackburn also discussed the studio’s strategy for delivering new maps for PvP (Player versus Player) mode. He admitted that the current approach of releasing one new map and a few reprises each year is not meeting players’ expectations. He acknowledged that the slow trickle of PvP maps is not producing the desired impact and results in the studio attempting to create a map that caters to all needs but isn’t exceptional in any aspect.
To address this, Blackburn announced a change in philosophy for the upcoming year. Instead of releasing maps throughout the year, Bungie will focus on a single map pack that will be available for free to all players. This shift in strategy will allow the team to create new experiences that excel in specific areas and provide a diverse and impactful update in a single drop.
Blackburn emphasized that this shift will take time to implement as they navigate the details of this new approach. Ultimately, the goal is to offer a more fulfilling PvP experience for Destiny 2 players.
Aside from the map pack announcement, Blackburn mentioned that the studio plans to introduce more test modes to its core playlists. This addition aims to provide players with a wider variety of gameplay experiences and opportunities to test new features and mechanics.
To show appreciation for the community’s support, Bungie will be granting all players a free Eververse armour set for Season 22.
Lastly, it was confirmed that Destiny 2’s next major piece of content, The Final Shape, is scheduled for release in February 2024. The expansion is expected to conclude the Light and Darkness saga, which has been unfolding since the initial release of the game’s first expansion.
With Blackburn’s candid acknowledgment of the communication shortcomings and the planned changes to the PvP map releases, Destiny 2 players can look forward to a more focused and diverse gaming experience in the near future.
